[anamnesis]

I agree with vaboom completely. I made a post about this some time ago ... http://www.mazda3forums.com/viewtopic.php?p=3521&sid=e91a5f8d5b5707f75072b9b86e176d45#3521

The 3 has the Evo beaten in every department except speed. The 3 is quieter, rides better, and has smoother response. When I rode in the Evo, I was impressed only with it's wild power. It is just a powerful engine stuck into a crappy little car with average build quality and an absolutely horridly dated interior. The interior could pass for a car built seven or eight years ago. It is bland and not NEARLY as well built as the 3.

Additionally, I am not a fan of 'Fast and the Furious' ricer crap with pointless aluminum wings and super-mega-dragonball Z R-type ninja gaiden stickers and body trim ... no doubt the 3 will become a target for the riceboy community, but while the Evo may look cool, not everyone wants to draw attention to themselves. Actually, I should say, not everyone wants to draw the attention of dumbass ricers, because they're the only ones drawn to the kind of styling knick knacks on the Evo. The design of the 3 is clean and strong, not over-the-top, and that's part of the 3's intrinsic appeal -- it doesn't need pointless tack-on parts to look great or convince people it is solid and well-built. Even at $30k, Mitsu can't beat Mazda's build quality. Sad.

But, if you must have speed at the expense of ride comfort, interior quality, interior design, storage capacity, and lots of extra features -- and let's not forget another $10k -- then by all means, have fun in your Evo!

 

[anamnesis]

It's definetely fast ... no doubt. I rode in one and the thing is capable of taking on cars in the 5-second range. But (and I stress BUT) most cars capable of doing 60mph in that time have a solid ride and are quiet. Corvette, Mustang, M3, S4 ... etc. Of course, they're all almost twice as much, but even compared to the WRX, it's still nothing because the size and ride quality just aren't there. Even Subaru has better build quality and better driving feel, and for $5k less. The Evo still feels like a Lancer with a big turbocharged engine and no sound insulation or comfort features. If that's your thing, then I guess the Evo is your car. It can honestly come down to being a very subjective decision, but the majority of people like a car with some heft and bulky feel to it.

This is exactly why Mitsubishi can offer it for $30k ... it feels $20k cheaper than the rest of those cars, if not more. :roll: